Tongs

ABSTRACT

A pair of tongs particularly designed for handling ball type articles such as ball valves. A pair of lever arms are pivotally connected and have jaws which extend downwardly from the lower end of the arms. The jaws are contoured outwardly relative to the longitudinal plane of the lever arms to form upright gripping areas, with the contour of the gripping areas extending in the same direction as the axis of the pivot means. Tabs are provided on the jaws to assist in confining a ball type article. The lever arms have handles which extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the pivot means.

Unite States Patent 1 1 Mespelt 5] July 24, 1973 TONGS Y [76] Inventor: Kendall E. Mespelt, 945 S. Ermine, 'f' Exam",1er EVn Bl'mk Asszstant ExammerJohnny D.-Cherry Albany, Oreg.

' Attorney-Eugene M. Eckelman 22 Filed: Mar-.30, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 129,471 57 ABSTRACT A pair of tongs particularly designed for handling ball Cl 294/1 294/28 type articles such as ball valves. A pair of lever arms are [51] Int. Cl BZSb 7/02 pivotally connected and have jaws which extend down- [58] Field of Search 294/16, 26, 27, 28, w rdl f om the lower end of the arms. The jaws are 294/1 415 contoured outwardly relative to the longitudinal plane of the lever arms to form upright gripping areas, with Reference-S Cited the contour of the gripping areas extending in the same UNITED STATES PATENTS direction as the axis of the pivot means. Tabs are pro- 2,016,356 10/1935 Alberg 294/118 "ided the jaws assist in a ball W 134-3513 6/1920 Masker 294/28 cle. The lever arms have handles WhlCh extend In a di- 2,747,9t7 1 511956 Smiths. 294/116 rection parallel to the axis of the pivot means. 2,961,683 11/1960 Meyer 294/118 X 3,361,468 1/1968 Case 294/118 x 1 Clam" 3 Drawing Patented July 24, 1973 3,747,972

KENDALL E. MESPELT ATTY.

the present tongs.

TONGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to-new and useful improvements in tongs.

Many types of tongs have heretofore been provided for handling various articles. The gripping areas thereof assume many different configurations for handling the said articles including a curved configuration such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,343,5l8, 3,153,554, 2,016,356, and 2,044,656. In each of these structures, the jaws are not capable of holding a spherical object securely therein nor are they capable of conveniently being moved into engagement with such an object particularly in areas of limited access. Tongs such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,0l6,356 possibly would hold a spherical object but would not be effective to obtain a grasp thereon within a limited space since the jaws could not be opened wide enough in such limited area to obtain a grip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention and forming a primary objective thereof, there is provided a'pair of tongs having a novel arrangement of lever arms and jaws and more particularly a pair of jaws which form downward extensions of the lever arms and which are contoured outwardly from the longitudinal part of the lever arms to form upright gripping areas, with the contour of the gripping areas extending in the same direction as the axis of pivot means which pivotally connect the two arms together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of tongs which are useful for handling spherical objects such as ball valves and providing an arrangement which allows the tongs to obtain a secure grip on the spherical object and also which allows the tongs to be moved into engagement with the object without requiring much space around the sides of the article.

Still another object is to provide a pair of tongs of the type described which are arranged to handle heavy spherical objects but which at the same time can be constructed of relatively light weight, inexpensive material.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS showing them in openposition; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a pump chamber utilizinga ball valve therein, this view being included for the purpose of illustrating a use'of DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in particular to the drawings, the tongs of the present invention comprise a pair of lever arms which are connected intermediate their ends by a pivot pin 12. Each of the lever arms has a jaw member 14 extending from its lower end. These jaw members form extensions of the arms but are contoured specifically forreceiving a spherical article such as a ball valve 28 shown inphantom lines in FIG. 1. More particularly, the jaws 14 are contoured outwardly from the longitudinal 'plane of the lever arms to form a pair of opposed upright gripping areas 16..The contour of the jaws is such'that the gripping areas extend in the same direction as the axis of the pivot means. In other words, the convex-concave arrangement leads 'in the same direction as the pivot pin while still maintaining a vertical disposition.

Each of the jaws has an ear or tab 18 intermediate the ends thereof extending in a'direction at right angles to the axis of the pivot means. The two cars extend in opposite directions relative to each other. The purpose of the cars 18 is to confine a spherical object in the jaws. Without such cars it would be possible for the object to roll out of the jaws. The ears 18 are slightly cupped with the concave side thereof facing downwardly so as to follow the contour of the spherical object.

Lever arms 10 have handles 20 which comprise angular extensions of such arms. To provide the most convenient operation, the handles 20 extend in a direction which is parallel to the axis of the pivot pin 12. These handles may have a suitable covering 21 for comfort in gripping them. Preferably the tongs are constructed from, a strap-like material so that the thickness thereof in the direction of the axis of pivo't'pin 12 is minimal.

, The structure of the tongs contributes to the versatility thereof in allowing them to be used in places of limited access such as in the pump chamber shown in FIG. 3 for inserting or removing a ball type valve. To illustrate such use of the present tool, a pump chamber of conventional design has an inlet 22 and an outlet 24 with a valve seat 26 therebetween. A ball valve 28 is engaged with the seat 26, and access thereto for maintenance or replacement is through a top opening 30 closed by a cover 32. The ball 28 is difficult to remove since it cannot be reached for hand lifting and even though it could be, it is too heavy and greasy to lift. Furthermore, access to the ball does not allow ordinary tongs to obtain a grip thereon. By means of the present tongs, however, the valves are readily inserted in and removed from the pump chamber. More particularly, as pointed out hereinbefore, the jaws are contoured outwardly from the longitudinal plane of the lever arms to form the gripping areas 16, such contour extending in the same direction as the axis of the pivot means, or in other words, the axes of the contours of the gripping areas 16 are disposed at right angles to the axis of the pivot means, whereby even though the handles are pulled apart to open the jaws, the jaws open without taking up substantially any more space than the lateral spacing of the jaws in closed position, except of course for the thickness of the strap material which forms the jaws. To provide engagement of the ball in the jaws, the said jaws are opened and then merely moved down over the ball. Upon closing the jaws, they engage flatwise on opposite sides of the ball and then move down to their closed position to grip the ball. The cars 18 extend a short distance on opposite sides at the. top of the ball to hold-the latter firmly in the jaws. The jaws need not be of a length to extend completely under the ball but only long enough to extend beyond the point of greatest diameter. In fact, it is preferred that the jaws be short enough so as not to engage the seat of the pump chamber. Such will make it easy to obtain a grip on the ball. It is to be understood, however, that the jaws could be of a length to extend around the ball to a point beyond the point of engagement with the seat since by simple manipulation of the tool the jaws can be worked between the ball and the seat.

As explained above, the present tongs may be coning upper and lower ends, pivot means intermediate the ends of said lever arms connecting the said arms together for relative pivotal movement, jaws extending downwardly from the lower end of said arms in extensions thereof for engagement with an article to be lifted by the tongs, said jaws being arcuately contoured outwardly from the longitudinal plane of said lever arms to form upright gripping areas in said arms, the axis of said arcuate contours of said gripping areas being disposed at right angles to the axis of said pivot means, and an ear on each of said jaws intermediate the ends of the latter, said ears extending in opposite directions relative to each other and also extending in a direction at right angles to the axis of said pivot means, said ears having an arcuate contour facing inwardly to cooperate with said jaws in holding a spherical article. 

1. A pair of tongs comprising a pair of lever arms having upper and lower ends, pivot means intermediate the ends of said lever arms connecting the said arms together for relative pivotal movement, jaws extending downwardly from the lower end of said arms in extensions thereof for engagement with an article to be lifted by the tongs, said jaws being arcuately contoured outwardly from the longitudinal plane of said lever arms to form upright gripping areas in said arms, the axis of said arcuate contours of said gripping areas being disposed at right angles to the axis of said pivot means, and an ear on each of said jaws intermediate the ends of the latter, said ears extending in opposite directions relative to each other and also extending in a direction at right angles to the axis of said pivot means, said ears having an arcuate contour facing inwardly to cooperate with said jaws in holding a spherical article. 